Celebrate Family Day on Toronto’s Waterfront for fabulous FREE family fun – Monday, February 16

(News Release)

Toronto, Ontario – FREE Family Day fun for kids of all ages is only footsteps away at Family Day on Toronto’s Waterfront presented by The Waterfront BIA on Monday, February 16, from 10am until 6pm.

Watch dog sport demos, create arts and crafts, discover Inuit art and warm up with a hot drink! Visit www.waterfrontbia.com or call 416-596-9821 for more information.

WOOFJOCKS CANINE ALL STARS @ PURINA PAWSWAY – 12:00pm / 1:30pm / 3:30pm

Visit Purina PawsWay (245 Queens Quay West) for FREE, furry family fun! Activities include pet themed face-painting, arts, crafts and lots of games and prizes courtesy of Purina Dog Chow! All shows are FREE. Visit www.pawsway.ca for more information.

Purveyors of dog-approved fun, the Woofjocks Canine All Stars will be doing demos of today’s most popular canine sports. The Woofjocks are a high-energy dog/handler performance team specializing in interactive games and demonstrations of canine agility and obedience. After each show, they do a ‘meet & greet’ where children come out onto the floor and meet the dogs and have photos taken.

It wouldn’t be Family Day on Toronto’s Waterfront without a collection of colourful clowns. Pockets and Bilboa the clowns will perform two 20-minute magic shows, make balloon animals and assist the talented Ester in creating pet themed face painting for the boys and girls.

FREE ADMISSION AND ACTIVITIES @ MUSEUM OF INUIT ART – 10am – 6pm

Visit the Museum of Inuit Art (MIA) (207 Queens Quay West, Queen's Quay Terminal at York Street) and explore one of Canada’s national treasures. MIA offers a space where Inuit artistic expressions, both past and present, spark immersive experiences for visitors and is the only museum devoted exclusively to Inuit art south of the Canadian Arctic. Admission is FREE all day! For more information on Family Day activities at MIA, visit www.miamuseum.ca/whats-on/mia-events.

Discover Inuit art! Recent discoveries about MIA’s permanent collection are unlocked with the newest special exhibition, “Stories from the Vault”. Delve behind the scenes with the Collections Team as hidden facts are revealed about works on display that will have you looking at these pieces in new ways.

Become a detective as you get hands-on with objects from the MIA educational collection.

Take FREE guided tours of the museum at 10:30am, 11:30am and 4:30pm.   

NEW – WARM-UP WITH A TASTE OF ITALY –  noon – 6pm

As an added bonus, warm-up with FREE pizza from Bar Milano!

Bar Milano – 207 Queens Quay W., Queen's Quay Terminal (at York Street)

v  Pizza

WINTER WARM-UP RETURNS – 10am – 6pm

Warm-up with your family by enjoying a tasty variety of complimentary hot beverages and keep warm from the inside out, all day long on Toronto’s Waterfront! Bring your own insulated travel mug into the following local businesses for a FREE hot refill:

AMPM Coffee – 89 Queens Quay W. (east of York Street)

v  coffee and tea along with a buy one get one free coupon for lattes, bubble tea or smoothies

Amsterdam BrewHouse – 245 Queens Quay W. South Building (east of Rees Street)

v  hot chocolate 

Indian Roti House – 256 Queens Quay W. (east of Rees Street)

v  masala chai tea

Iron Rose Tea Gallery – 228 Queens Quay W. (Suite #9 – entrance on Lower Simcoe Street)

v  tea of the day or hot mulled apple cider

Music Garden Cafe – 466 Queens Quay W. (west of Spadina Avenue)

v  coffee or hot chocolate 

·  Rabba Fine Foods – 252 Queens Quay W. (east of Rees Street)

v  Brown Gold coffee or Higgins and Burke tea

Shoeless Joe's – 249 Queens Quay W. (east of Rees Street)

v  hot chocolate, coffee, decaf coffee or tea

Starbucks – 10 Lower Spadina (at Queens Quay W.) and 208 Queens Quay W. (at York Street)

v  tall coffee or kid’s hot chocolate

Tim Hortons – 249 Queens Quay W. (at Rees Street)

v  small original coffee, decaf coffee, dark roast blend coffee, tea or hot chocolate

The Watermark Irish Pub and Restaurant – 207 Queens Quay W., Queen’s Quay Terminal (at York Street)  

v  hot chocolate

·  Williams Fresh Cafe – 245 Queens Quay W. North Building (east of Rees Street)

v  signature blend coffee

The Wine Shop – 228 Queens Quay W. (at Lower Simcoe Street)

v  1 oz samples of Panama Jack's Cream Wine Liquor on its own or with coffee or hot chocolate

* Samples will be offered after 11am and must be consumed inside the store as per legal restrictions.

“Winter is the perfect time to warm-up with hot drinks,” states Carol Jolly, Executive Director of The Waterfront BIA. “Some of our members have shared their recipes, so you can recreate our refreshing Family Day drinks at home.”

Indian Roti House Masala Chai Tea Recipe:

Ingredients:

1.5 cup water

1 cup whole milk

 5 cardamoms

1 stick of cinnamon

1 tsp grated Ginger

2.5 tsp black tea powder (loose leaf tea)

sugar (to taste)

Directions:

1. Add cinnamon, cardamom, grated ginger, black tea powder and water to a pot. Bring to a boil.

2. Once the mixture is boiling, add in the milk.

3. Continue heating until it just starts boiling. At this point, remove the pot from the stove.

4. Pour the tea into serving cups through a strainer that catches everything but the liquid.

5. Add sugar (to taste) to each cup, stir & serve!

The Wine Shop Sweet Swiss Chocolate Dreams Recipe:

Ingredients:
1 oz Panama Jack Butter Caramel Cream Liqueur
6 oz hot chocolate
1 oz whipped cream
(Yield: 1 serving)

Directions:
1. Pour the Panama Jack Butter Caramel cream into a coffee mug.

2. Add hot chocolate and top with whipped cream.

3. Sprinkle with chocolate shavings and a maraschino cherry or drizzle with decadent caramel sauce.

4. Serve and sip while relaxing in a comfy recliner.

The Wine Shop Panama Jack’s Chocolate-latte Recipe:

Ingredients:
1 1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup Panama Jack's Chocolate Cream
1/8 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup brewed espresso or strong coffee
1/4 cup chopped chocolate chips

(Yield: 2 servings)

Directions:
1. Combine milk and Panama Jack's in a saucepan and whisk over high heat until frothy.
2. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.
3. Whisk together hot espresso (or strong coffee) and chocolate chips in a mug until smooth.
4. Top with frothy (and hot) mild/Panama Jack's mixture and stir to blend all the flavours.

About The Waterfront BIA:

The Waterfront Business Improvement Area (WBIA) is the voice of the business community. Toronto’s WBIA is a community-driven organization dedicated to promoting and enhancing the economic and cultural vitality of the waterfront area. The WBIA welcomes 17 million visitors annually with a service area population of 57,121 and growing rapidly. 68% are under the age of 45 and average household income is $118,924. Unlike most Toronto BIAs, the waterfront is both a destination and a tourist attraction. It is committed to improving and promoting the waterfront area through investment and advocacy to maintain its position as one of Toronto’s premier shopping, business, entertainment and tourist destinations. Annual programs include Family Day, Doors/Gangways Open, Redpath Waterfront Festival, Singing Ambassadors and Winterfest on Toronto's Waterfront. The Waterfront BIA has been the proud recipient of the TABIA Marketing Award 2011, 2013 and 2014.

For more information, visit www.waterfrontbia.com.

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